1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to apparatus for monitoring the status of a communication network, and more particularly, for presenting status information concerning a network to an operator in graphical form.
2. Description of Related Art
Large communication networks consist of many switching nodes interconnected by communication links. The switching nodes perform complex communications tasks, such as call routing, link control and data compression. Various switches within the network will perform different sets of these communications tasks depending on the manner in which the nodes have been configured by the user. Further, the links interconnecting the nodes are of a variety of types, each having unique features, such as satellite or terrestrial lines.
The switches and links are often geographically separated by some distance. As switches are changed, new features are added or switches are deleted, the configuration of the network can change significantly at locations quite remote from the operator. Further, the distributed switching nodes suffer alarm conditions, such as breakdown of functional modules or failure of communication protocols in real time that must be communicated to an operator of the system. Likewise, links can be added, deleted and changed in real time from geographically separate locations.
An operator performing network diagnostics or trouble-shooting tasks, needs efficient access to current status information concerning a network. In particular, the topology of the network, alarm conditions and the configuration of the various nodes and links in the network is critical information.
The task of gathering status information from a large communication network in a timely manner and presenting that information in a usable form to an operator can be quite complex. Preferably, this monitoring task should interfere as little as possible with the communications task going on in the network and not overload the communications channels with monitoring information being forwarded to a single monitoring station in the network. Further, it is preferable that the monitoring apparatus be implemented without large scale changes to communications tasks running in the network in order to support the monitoring function.